A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday denied bail to a lecturer at the Kogi State University, Dr Nazeef Yunus, and two others – Alhaji Salami Abdullahi (a businessman) and Umar Musa, accused of being members of the Boko Haram sect.
The court, presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, held that the current activities of Boko Haram members in the Northeast will not allow it to exercise its discretion in favour of the suspects.
He was ruling on their applications for bail.
Referring to the growing spate of killings of innocent citizens by Boko Haram, Justice Kolawole declared that the court could not pretend that all was well in the country.
The judge said that while the court’s power to grant or deny bail was discretionary, such power must be exercised judiciously and judicially.
Justice Kolawole said that should the court decide to grant them bail, it would have to impose stringent bail conditions, but explained that imposing stringent conditions, which the accused would not be able to fulfil, was like giving a gift with the right hand and collecting it back with the left.
His words: ”It is the severity of the crime that matters, and one is hesitant to grant bail. This may not be a period for the court to embark on fanciful and sterile judicial analysis so that the court cannot send out wrong signals.”
The duty of the court in view of the peculiar circumstances the country finds itself now, Justice Kolawole pointed out, was to assist the state to bring the security situation under control as issues relating to national security could not be regarded as extraneous.
On Abdullahi’s claim of being indisposed, the court held that his health challenge was not beyond what could be handled by a clinic provided he had regular access to medical attention.
However, the court elected to accord the case accelerated hearing.
The case was accordingly adjourned to March 18 for commencement of the trial.
Dr Nazeef (44 years) is a lecturer in the Department of Islamic Studies of the Kogi State University.
He is accused by the State Security Service (SSS) of providing intellectual and spiritual support to the sect. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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